Bill T. Jones Solos
There’s something unique about Bill T. Jones’ fusion of classic form and modern gesture, which is most striking. Physically, he looks as if he’s just been set free from a plaster mould: every feature looks as if it has been customised for dance. Yet despite his heavily muscular torso, he is so light on his feet, that at times he looks like a marionette. How can someone galvanise every muscle and exert himself and make it look so effortless?
Jones was born in New York, and studied ballet as a young man. In 1982, he and his partner, dancer choreographer and photographer Arnie Zane (who died tragically young) formed the dance company: “The Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane” dance company.
Their combined artistic vision made an indelible impression on the contemporary dance scene, both in the United States, and in Europe (where Jones has worked as a choreographer with companies such as The Berlin Opera Ballet and the Lyon Ballet). Jones has also collaborated with other significant black American artists such as author Toni Morrison, and opera singer Jessye Norman.
In this DVD, we are treated to three dance movements set to well-known musical pieces: Ionization (to music by Edgar Varèse); Chaconne, from Bach's Partita for solo Violin in D minor; and the well-known ditty, Tea for Two. The emotional range varies from lithe movements to contorted expressions of passion and anguish.
In addition, there is a fascinating to-camera interview in which Jones eloquently addresses an array of issues, and a revealing master class, in which dance students are encouraged to “be” dancers. His observations of and advice to, some of the female dancers in particular, is marvellous, particularly given the plethora of body issues that plague contemporary women.
Bill T. Jones is an articulate man with great presence: a sagacious teacher, and a mesmeric performer. There’s no doubting his sincerity when he says: “We dance or die”. This DVD is a worthy addition to the libraries of lovers of dance and music.